Android Wear

Anything and everything about Android Wear, and the watches that go with it

Wearables are the next big frontier for smart technology. And on March 18, 2014, Google announced its part in it — Android Wear. As the name implies, Android Wear is an Android-based initiative, using Google's mobile operating system and a dedicated software development kit to kick-start the wearables space.

Android Wear brings Google into the small space, in a big way

Android Wear is starting with smartwatches. Motorola and LG were first out of the gate, announcing the Moto 360 and the LG G Watch. But Motorola for whatever reason didn't get its watch out the door until September. Meanwhile, Samsung swooped in at Google I/O with its fourth wearable in less than a year, the Gear Live. Google has said it's also working with other partners in the Android Wear space, including HTC and ASUS (which is expected to show its watch at IFA in Berlin in September, and chip manufacturers Broadcom, Imagination, Intel, Mediatek and Qualcomm. So Android Wear isn't solely a Google endeavor. Even fashion brands like Fossil are in on Android Wear, and other fashion and luxury brands are bound to follow.

And a week ahead of the IFA conference, LG teased a its new round Android Wear smartwatch, believed to be called the LG G Watch R. In addition, ASUS is teasing the new ZenWatch ahead of IFA.

You can think of Android Wear as an extension of the experience we've grown to enjoy with Google Now. And just like with our smartphones, Android Wear will have us talking to our watches. You'll be able to speak to request information as well as reply to information you've already received. Weather info. Chats with friends and family. Direct queries. Direct actions.

And, of course, that's only the beginning. For more on individual Android Wear devices, see:

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Quick Android Wear screenshots are easy to do, all it takes is a few steps
While not the biggest deal ever, taking a screenshot on your Android Wear device has been a hassle since launch. That is until now, with the latest Lollipop and Android Wear app updates enabling remote screenshot capture...

If it exists, we can hack it — and that includes our Android Wear smartwatches
Android on your wrist is still Android. That means it's still Linux, and people will want to do more than the simple user interface provides. We get it. We paid for these devices, and some of us want to do whatever we...

It's easy to keep apps from sending notifications to your Android Wear smartwatch
If there's one thing you'll quickly learn using an Android Wear smartwatch such as the LG G Watch, Samsung Gear Live or Moto 360 — any wearable device, really — it's which notifications are important, and which...

A new strap changes both the look and feel of your new Android watch
So you have Android strapped to your wrist with your new LG G Watch or Samsung Gear Live. Pretty cool, isn't it? We know both devices are far from perfect, and Android Wear is still in its infancy, but chances are you'll be...

All Android Wear

Domino's today announced the company is providing customers with yet more ways to place, track and receive their orders. Should you own a Pebble or Android Wear-powered smartwatch, you'll be able to use the provided Domino's app to not only place an order, but track it too.
To be able to take...

'Timeless design' and 'smart within' frame Huawei's unannounced wearable for Mobile World Congress.
As journalists and industry members alike start hitting Barcelona Airport for MWC 2015, they'll be greeted by a large number of ad placements from Huawei for a watch that, frankly, we weren't...

People who purchase the Moto 360 in March will be able to customize their smartwatch in a variety of ways, thanks to a new version of Motorola's Moto Maker website.
The first details of how much customization will be available for the Moto 360 comes from Wired: They state:
You'll be able...

Future Android Wear devices could benefit from using a newly announced hardware platform from Broadcom. The company said today that its products, when used inside an Android Wear product, could help increase its battery life, among other features.
Here's what Broadcom said about its new...

USA Today — the No. 3 newspaper in the U.S. — this week pushed an update to its Android application that adds support for Android Wear smartwatches.
You'll be prompted to set up notifications for your smartwatch after updating, and you can choose when to get the twice-daily five-headline burst...

If you have a Moto 360 strapped to your wrist, you might want to check for an update. Motorola has started rolling out a minor update that brings the wearable up to version 5.0.2, and includes updated Google Play services and bug fixes.
Here's the official changelog from Motorola:
Updated...

Pebble users on Android are in for quite the treat today, as the Pebble app has been updated to version 2.3 with support for interacting with Android Wear notifications, setting defined replies, and the ability to reply from your Pebble through Android SMS apps.
Here's the full breakdown of...

LG today has unveiled its latest Android Wear building on the original LG G Watch R and coming up with a more stylish and formal and all-metal "LG Watch Urbane" that's "designed for a sophisticated and cosmopolitan wearer." Available in gold or silver, it's still a standard 22mm model, so you...

The folks at Sony are launching a version of their SmartWatch 3 with a strap worldwide this week. However, the company has yet to announce a price tag for the new variant of their Android Wear-based device.
Sony did reveal that the SmartWatch 3 stainless steel edition will come with a voucher...

Android Wear seems to be off to something of a slow start, with 720,000 in shipped units last year. The numbers come from Canalys, who notes that Android Wear devices accounted for around 15% of the 4.6 million "smart wearable bands" shipped in 2014.
It's little surprise to see the hotly-...

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